Some N.J. stores open Thanksgiving for pre-Black Friday shopping

Once reserved for family, football and a fairly large bird, Thanksgiving Day is quickly becoming the start of another major holiday’s shopping season.

That’s right, some retailers are shelving Black Friday as the beginning of the Christmas shopping season and opening their doors a day earlier, on Thanksgiving, instead.

Justin Sullivan/Getty ImagesA shopper holds a Banana Republic bag that advertises a sale as he waits for a cab today. Retailers, fearing the weakest holiday shopping season since 1969, have slashed prices on items at stores across the country. Some Banana Republic stores will also be open on Thanksgiving Day this year to encourage shoppers.
It’s an idea that has Westfield shopper Alison Barry excited.

"It might be less crowded than Black Friday," Barry said as she left The Gap on a recent Sunday after returning a pair of jeans. "The economy is so bad I guess they’re looking to prolong the (holiday) season. If you’re in business and you need to make your sales, you do whatever you can."

Big box stores like The Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy and Wal-Mart are planning to open stores in some locations Thursday. The move comes after one of the worst holiday retail seasons on record with another difficult year anticipated. The National Retail Federation predicts retail sales this November and December will be $437.6 billion, down from $442 billion last year.

"Ten years ago, the only stores that used to be open were groceries and pharmacies," said Ellen Davis, vice president of the retail trade group. "In the past few years, we’ve seen some discount retailers and stand-alone specialty stores opening on Thanksgiving day."

So who shops on Thanksgiving? Customers looking to avoid the crazed crowds and mayhem of Black Friday might be attracted by the expanded hours, she said, as well as those who have already made going to the movies a Thanksgiving tradition.

"For many people, shopping on Thanksgiving will be impromptu," she said.

Gap Inc., which also owns Banana Republic and Old Navy, said about 1,000 stores around the country will be open Thursday from noon to 7 p.m., with employees who volunteer to work being paid time-and-a-half. Old Navy stores in Edgewater, Linden and Turnersville will be among those open, while the closest Gap stores to have Thanksgiving hours will be two locations in Manhattan.

"We had great customer feedback" said Catherine Rhoades, a Gap spokeswoman, on last year’s decision to open stores. "Customers enjoy the flexibility."

Wal-Mart plans to have "many" of its U.S. stores open 24 hours this week, but declined to give specifics.

"We’re really not breaking this data out on a store-by-store basis," said Kelley Cheeseman, a spokeswoman for the Arkansas-based retailer.

Toys "R" Us said it will open its doors at 12:01 a.m. Friday, five hours earlier than in other years. "Basically our midnight openings are a way to attract customers," said company spokeswoman Adrienne Giordano. "By opening earlier, customers can shop early or sleep late."

Opening on Thanksgiving carries both risks and rewards, said James Sawhill, an assistant professor of marketing science at Rutgers University. Stores want to attract customers without appearing too desperate — or Scrooge-like.

"At some point, you’re going to get some backlash," Sawhill said. "You’re opening on Thanksgiving. That means your employees will have to be there. You don’t want to over-commercialize this important American holiday."

Some Westfield shoppers, meanwhile, remained skeptical that open stores will mean open wallets.

"It kind of leaves me flat," John Trelease of Hoboken said as walked with his friend Kathi Fredericks toward a Banana Republic store to buy corduroy pants with a 30 percent off coupon. "I wouldn’t even for a second not consider having dinner with my family. I would (also) feel bad for the people who had to work that day."

Fredericks agreed.

"I wouldn’t ruin my Thanksgiving for a deal," she added. "There are going to be deals all year long. Let people calm down."